Conventional airport baggage handling systems lack a means for preventing the loading of individual pieces of checked baggage belonging to a particular traveler onto an aircraft in the event that the traveler fails to board the aircraft, or if the traveler leaves the aircraft after boarding, making it possible for a traveler to have unaccompanied baggage placed on the aircraft.
What is needed is a method for tying each piece of checked baggage with the individual traveler checking it, and for permitting the loading of each such piece of checked baggage only after the traveler has entered a boarding area. Ideally, such a method would also provide for the rapid location of baggage of an individual traveler seeking to leave the aircraft or its boarding area.